Greenwich Housesit & Stamford Drop-in
I got to spend this past weekend with two of my favorite little furry clients, Bella and Teddy. Bella is a sweet Cavalier King Charles. She is about the cutest girl ever. So sweet, so timid and loves to snuggle right up beside me. Teddy is an adorable Havanese and he is just the funniest little guy.
The minute I arrive, it’s play time, go! He is a master at no-give backs and, and is more than happy to let me chase him around the apartment trying to get the toy he stole back from him. When we go out on walks, he thinks the grass is lava, so we have to avoid it at all costs. No worries, his mom actually told me that Teddy grew up in NYC so he was not used to walking around on grass. So now that he lives in the burbs, he doesn’t know what to make of it.
I can also tell he likes to keep himself close to a wall, or any furniture close by when we go through the lobby of his apartment building. However, I noticed he got a little braver this weekend on our drop-in visit when we came back into the lobby from our walk around the harbor. Instead of making himself smaller like he usually does, he walked so very bravely and confidently(still next to furniture but less skittishly) to the elevator. This is a big accomplishment for this little guy! Overall I have to say he gives me non-stop laughs with his comedic timing, if ever a dog has such concept. Havanese dogs are just the cutest, most playful, and smart dogs, I’ve encountered for sure.
Now Ms Bella, she is the polar opposite of Mr Teddy (of course she has high intelligence too). She likes to curl up on the couch in the TV room when I’m working. Her mom and dad say that is her usual routine, although she will switch between the couch and her snuggly bed in the kitchen so she can hang out with me while I work. I will share a little secret, she likes to manipulate me for more treats, lol. She’ll let me know she has to go out in the yard, so she runs down quick, does her business, and then it’s back inside to the treat station. This I have to say is her favorite thing to do when she comes back in from a walk or the backyard. She can’t contain the excitement.
The best part with me and Bella is that now I’ve been taking care of her for about a year and when she saw me this weekend, I received a much less reserved welcome from her. She’s not the type of girl normally. I think it’s just the sweet Cavalier King Charles temperament. But she was very excited and happy to see me and that I can say honestly makes my heart feel three times bigger than it is.
And that is really what this is all about, why I do what I do. I get to enjoy the time I spend with people’s pets, they get to bond with me and feel like I’m an extension of their family. There is less stress because they are not being taken to the boarding place, and they are not having to get used to many different people staying with them. Never knowing who’s going to come next. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, because he pet parents do what they need to do to make sure their pets are cared for and every pet service has it’s place. I just know that pets if nothing, thrive with consistency and routines.
When you know you have someone that knows your dog’s routines and they are happy to be with that person while your gone, is gold.
